Method of and system for finding and serving consumer product related information over the internet using manufacturer identification numbers

Abstract

A method of and system for finding and serving consumer product-related information on the Internet comprising a database serving subsystem which stores: a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products; a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of MINs; a plurality of universal product numbers (UPN) assigned to a plurality of consumer products made by the plurality of manufacturers; and a plurality of product-information specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of UPNs. During operation, a client subsystem transmits to the database serving subsystem, a request for information which includes the UPN assigned to the consumer product on which product-related information is being sought. The database serving subsystem automatically compares the UPN against the stored plurality of MINs, and automatically returns to the client subsystem, one or more of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, if URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN within the database serving subsystem. However, if no URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN, then the database serving subsystem automatically returns the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN in the request. By virtue of this novel MIN-based search mechanism embodied within the database serving subsystem, client subsystems are automatically provided with the home-page of the manufacturer's World Wide Web (WWW) site in situations where product-information specifying URLs have not yet been symbolically linked with the UPN on any one of the manufacturer's products.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for finding and serving information pertaining to a particular consumer product and the manufacturer thereof on the Internet, said system comprising: (1) an Internet database serving subsystem operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and including   (1A) an information storage subsystem for storing first and second sets of information, said first set of information being representative of   (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, each said MIN being assigned to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said home-page specifying URL being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products and specifying the location of a manufacturer World Wide Web (WWW) site located on the Internet, having a home page on the WWW and being related to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   said second set of information being representative of   (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPN) assigned to a plurality of consumer products made by said plurality of manufacturers, each said UPN being assigned to one of said plurality of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of product-information specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said product-information specifying URL including one of said plurality of MINs, and being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of consumer products and specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to at least one of said plurality of consumer products, and     (1B) request servicing means for servicing a request for information about one of said plurality of products located on the Internet, made by a client subsystem operably connected to the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database serving subsystem for processing and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said consumer product on which product-related information located on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said client subsystem,   wherein said request servicing means automatically compares the UPN included in said request against said plurality of MINs stored in said information storage subsystem, and (i) automatically returns to said client subsystem, the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN included in said request if, at the time said request was made, no product-information specifying URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request, within said information storage subsystem, and   (ii) automatically returns to said client subsystem, one or more of URLs symbolically linked to said UPN included in said request, if, at the time said request was made, one or more product-information specifying URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request, within said information storage subsystem; and     (2) a plurality of product-information containing servers, each said product-information containing server being connected to the Internet and storing product-related information resources related to at least one of (i) one or more of the WWW sites of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) one or more of said plurality of consumer products, wherein the location of each said product-related information resource on the Internet is specified by one said plurality of product-information specifying URLs, and   wherein the location of the home page of each said WWW site is specified by one of said plurality of home-page specifying URLs, and   wherein said client subsystem can use     (i) the one or more product-information specifying URLs returned by said request servicing means to access product-related information from said one or more of said plurality of product-related information containing servers, and   (ii) the home-page specifying URL returned from said request servicing means to access the home-page of the manufacturer's WWW site from one or more of said plurality of product-related information containing servers.     
     
     
       2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more URLs are arranged for display on said client subsystem in accordance with a predetermined product-related information classification scheme. 
     
     
       3. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said product-related information resources comprise HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. 
     
     
       4. The system according to claim 3, wherein one or more of said product-information specifying URLs specify the location of said HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. 
     
     
       5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said client subsystem is a WWW-enabled computer system selected from the group consisting of: a computer-based kiosk provided with a first WWW browser and a first bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said first WWW browser; a portable computer provided with a second WWW browser and a second bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said second WWW browser; and a desktop computer system provided with a third WWW browser and a third bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said third WWW browser. 
     
     
       6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said UPN is a UPC. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 1, wherein said Internet database serving subsystem comprises an Internet information server and a relational database subsystem operably connected to said Internet database serving subsystem. 
     
     
       8. A method of finding and serving information pertaining to a particular consumer product and the manufacturer thereof on the Internet, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing first and second sets of information in an Internet database serving subsystem operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet,   said first set of information being representative of (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, each said MIN being assigned to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said home-page specifying URL being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products and specifying the location of a manufacturer World Wide Web (WWW) site located on the Internet, having a home page on the WWW and being related to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and     said second set of information being representative of (i) a plurality of universal product numbers (UPN) assigned to a plurality of consumer products made by said plurality of manufacturers, each said UPN being assigned to one of said plurality of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of product-information specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of UPNs, each said product-information specifying URL including one of said plurality of MINs, and being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of consumer products, and specifying the location of an information resource located on the Internet related to at least one of said plurality of consumer products; and     (b) transmitting to said Internet database serving subsystem, a request made by a client subsystem operably connected to the Internet, for product-related information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products, said request including information representative of the UPN assigned to a particular consumer product on which product-related information located on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said client subsystem,   (c) said Internet database serving subsystem receiving said request and automatically comparing the UPN included in said request against said plurality of MINs stored in said information storage subsystem, and (i) automatically returning to said client subsystem, the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN included in said request, if, at the time said request is made, no product-information specifying URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request, within said information storage subsystem, and   (ii) automatically returning to said client subsystem, one or more of URLs symbolically linked to said UPN included in said request, if, at the time said request is made, one or more product-information specifying URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN included in said request, within said information storage subsystem; and     (d) said client subsystem using one or more URLs returned during step (c) to access product-related information resources and the home-page of manufacturer WWW sites from one or more product-related information containing servers, wherein each said product-related information containing server is connected to the Internet and stores product-related information resources related to at least one of (i) one or more of the WWW sites of said manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) one or more of said plurality of consumer products, wherein the location of each said consumer product-related information resource on the Internet is specified by one said product-information specifying URL, and   wherein the location of the home-page of each said WWW site is specified by one of said plurality of home-page specifying URLs.       
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said one or more product-information specifying URLs are arranged for display on said client subsystem in accordance with a predetermined product-related information classification scheme. 
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 8, wherein one or more of said product-related information resources comprise HTML-encoded documents on the WWW, and wherein one or more of said product-information specifying URLs specify the location of said HTML-encoded documents. 
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said client subsystem is a WWW-enabled computer system selected from the group consisting of: a computer-based kiosk provided with a first WWW browser and a first bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said first WWW browser; a portable computer provided with a second WWW browser and a second bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said second WWW browser; and a desktop computer system provided with a third WWW browser and a third bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said third WWW browser. 
     
     
       12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said UPN is a UPC. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 8, wherein said Internet database serving subsystem comprises an Internet information server and a relational database subsystem operably connected to said Internet information server. 
     
     
       14. A system for finding and serving the home-page of a World Wide Web (WWW) site of a manufacturer of a particular consumer product, said system comprising: (1) an Internet database serving subsystem operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and including   (1A) an information storage subsystem for storing a set of information being representative of (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, each said MIN being assigned to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said home-page specifying URL being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products and specifying the location of a manufacturer WWW site located on the Internet, having a home page on the WWW and being related to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and     (1B) request servicing means for servicing a request made by a client subsystem operably connected to the Internet, wherein said request is transmitted to said Internet database serving subsystem for processing and includes information representative of the UPN assigned to said consumer product on which product-related information located on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said client subsystem,   wherein said request servicing means automatically compares the UPN included in said request against said plurality of MINs stored in said information storage subsystem, and automatically returns to said client subsystem, the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN included in said request;   (2) a plurality of product-information containing servers, each said product-information containing server being connected to the Internet and storing information resources including the home-page of at least one or more of the WWW sites of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, wherein the location of the home-page of each said WWW site is specified by one of said plurality of home-page specifying URLs, and   wherein said client subsystem can use the home-page specifying URL returned by said request servicing means to access from at least one of said product-information containing servers, the home-page of the WWW site of the manufacturer symbolically linked to said MIN contained within the UPN included in said request.     
     
     
       15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said home-page specifying URL returned by said request servicing means is automatically displayed on said client subsystem for accessing the home-page of the WWW site of the manufacturer symbolically linked to said MIN contained within the UPN included in said request. 
     
     
       16. The system according to claim 14, wherein one or more of said product-related information resources comprise HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. 
     
     
       17. The system according to claim 16, wherein one or more of said product-information specifying URLs specify the location of said HTML-encoded documents on the WWW. 
     
     
       18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said client subsystem is a WWW-enabled computer system selected from the group consisting of: a computer-based kiosk provided with a first WWW browser and a first bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said first WWW browser; a portable computer provided with a second WWW browser and a second bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said second WWW browser; and a desktop computer system provided with a third WWW browser and a third bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said third WWW browser. 
     
     
       19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said UPN is a UPC. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim 14, wherein said Internet database serving subsystem comprises an Internet information server and a relational database subsystem operably connected to said Internet database serving subsystem. 
     
     
       21. A method of finding and serving the home-page of the World Wide Web (WWW) site of a manufacturer of a particular consumer product, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing a set of information in an Internet database serving subsystem operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet,   said set of information being representative of (i) a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, each said MIN being assigned to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products, and   (ii) a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to said plurality of MINs, each said home-page specifying URL being symbolically linked to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products and specifying the location of a manufacturer World Wide Web (WWW) site located on the Internet, having a home page, and being related to one of said plurality of manufacturers of consumer products;     (b) transmitting to said Internet database serving subsystem, a request made by a client subsystem operably connected to the Internet, for product-related information on the Internet about one of said plurality of consumer products, said request including information representative of the UPN assigned to a particular consumer product on which product-related information located on the Internet is being sought by a consumer using said client subsystem;   (c) said Internet database serving subsystem receiving said request and automatically comparing the UPN included in said request against said plurality of MINs stored in said information storage subsystem, and automatically returning to said client subsystem, the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN included in said request; and   (d) said client subsystem using the home-page specifying URL returned during step (c) to access the home-page of the WWW site of the manufacturer symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN included in said request.   
     
     
       22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said home-page specifying URL returned during step (c) is automatically displayed on said client subsystem for accessing the home-page of the WWW site of the manufacturer symbolically linked to said MIN contained within the UPN included in said request. 
     
     
       23. The method according to claim 21, wherein one or more of the home-pages of said WWW sites comprise HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. 
     
     
       24. The method according to claim 23, wherein one or more of said home-page specifying URLs specify the location of said HTML-encoded documents on the WWW. 
     
     
       25. The method according to claim 21, wherein said client subsystem is a WWW-enabled computer system selected from the group consisting of: a computer-based kiosk provided with a first WWW browser and a first bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said first WWW browser; a portable computer provided with a second WWW browser and a second bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said second WWW browser; and a desktop computer system provided with a third WWW browser and a third bar code symbol reading device operably connected to said third WWW browser. 
     
     
       26. The method according to claim 21, wherein said UPN is a UPC. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, wherein said Internet database serving subsystem comprises an Internet information server and a relational database subsystem operably connected to said Internet database serving subsystem.